εύγευστος

Nothing can describe this meal more than the simple Greek word, εύγευστος (for those non-Greek speakers, this means delicious). Having traveled to Greece before, my husband is very fond of Greek dishes. He loves it all: Spanakopita, Kreatopita, Gyros, or really anything covered in Tzatziki sauce! I've been trying to humor him and satisfy his cravings (I'm not as big of a fan - mostly because I don't like Feta cheese or olives) and have recently discovered that I am a fan myself of Tzatziki sauce.

So naturally, when a friend of mine, Leslie, mentions the Gyro Burgers she made for dinner, my ears perked up. The recipe seemed simple enough so I ran it by the hubby (a huge fan of burgers, I couldn't imagine what he'd do when he learned of a Greek burger!) to hear his thoughts. Just as I suspected would happen, he instantly said we HAD to have it for dinner the following night.

The burgers are so simple to make and turn out very tasty. The flavor was very full and the sauce complimented it well. We will definitely be making these again. However, next time, we'll be using flat bread instead of pocket pitas. That way we can get a better balance of all of the ingredients with each bite!



Gyro Burgers

2 (8 oz.) containers plain yogurt, divided
1 (1 oz.) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 c. diced onion
6 pita bread rounds (or flat bread)
2 c. torn lettuce leaves (we used shredded lettuce)
1 tomato, seeded and diced

1. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 container of plain yogurt with the envelope of ranch dressing mix. Remove half of the mixture to another bowl.
2. Into one of the bowls, add the remaining container of plain yogurt and diced cucumber; mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Preheat grill and lightly oil grate.
4. Mix ground beef and onion into the remaining half of the yogurt mixture. Shape into 6 hamburger patties.
5. Grill patties on medium heat for about 7 minutes on each side, turning once.
6. Assemble pitas with the burgers, lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Today...was Fat Tuesday. A day for people to celebrate, have fun, and get stuff their faces with great food! A great coworker of mine is from the south and to honor this tradition of Mardi Gras, we decided to have a Fat Tuesday feast for lunch! All of the typical guests were present. Jambalaya, Gumbo, Cornbread, and saving my dish for last, King Cake!

King Cakes are something I had heard of, seen pictures of, but have never actually eaten. Heck, I didn't even know what went into one aside from yummy-looking frosting and colorful sugars! Oh, and you can't forget the little baby hidden inside! Click here to learn more about this tradition.

I began my quest for a great King Cake recipe online - where I also begin. I also surveyed some great women (and bakers alike) on the RB board. Lo and behold, I settled on a recipe from allrecipes.com. It had many great reviews, 4 out of 5 stars, so I figured it would be a winner.

One thing I did not realize when I volunteered myself to make our dessert, was that King Cake takes hours to prepare! My southern friend told me to save myself some time and run over to the nearest Price Chopper and buy one for $3.99. I couldn't do that. I was on a mission. I was going to bake this thing myself and it was going to be great!!

Well, I attempted. I conquered. And boy was it a success!! The "cake" (King Cake is not really a cake as we picture it to be. To my surprise and enjoyment, it is more like a cinnamon roll - a bread-like dough with a flavorful center!) was a hit!! The husband was also very thankful that we did not completely devour the cake today and I had some leftovers for him to enjoy.

The pictures, as usual (I really need to rig myself up a light box!), do not do this justice. The outside is fun and festive, and the inside is delicious. Hands down, I give this once-a-year treat a double thumbs up!



Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe

**NOTE** For the frosting, I strayed away from the recipe and used A LOT more than suggested. Rather than measuring, I just dumped some powdered sugar in a bowl, added a little splash of water, and stirred until it was the right consistency (adding more sugar or water, as needed).

There's a first time for everything!

For a while now, I've been wanting to try my hand at making risotto. I've heard it's pretty tasty, but can also be complicated. The husband hinted that he might like it, too, by purchasing a Risotto Cookbook for my birthday a few months ago. I decided to dive in last night and give it a shot. The recipe I used was not from the cookbook, but from the Kansas City Star! Not only that, but it's all done in the microwave!! Super easy and VERY delicious! The recipe is for the rice with veggies only, however, I added some cooked boneless chicken breasts (cut into small cubes) to make it a meal! We served it alongside some leftover garlic bread that needed to get eaten. (Picture Quality = Poor)


Risotto with Peas and Mushrooms

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups fat-free chicken broth
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. In a 3-qt. baking dish, microwave butter and oil on high 45 seconds to 1 minute or until melted.
2. Mix in rice and onion. Microwave on high 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken broth and microwave on high 10 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and microwave on high 8 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes.
5. Stir in peas and microwave on high 2 minutes.
6. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper. Serve immediately.

Boozin' Dessert

I cannot remember where I came across this recipe, but when I saw the title my interest instantly perked up - Margarita Cupcakes!?! Alcohol...in a cupcake? Um...yes, please!

Margarita Cupcakes

9 oz. margarita mix
3 oz. tequila
3/4 oz. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (used Triple Sec)
white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. lime zest
1 recipe lime buttercream frosting (recipe below)

1. Mix together the margarita mix, tequila, and Grand Marnier in a large glass or spouted bowl. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of this for the cupcake batter and drink the rest as a treat while you're baking.
2. In a stand mixer, add the margarita mixture (1 1/4 cups), cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, and lime zest. Mix on low for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Spoon the batter into a prepared muffin pan and fill cups 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Place the cupcakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
4. Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the frosting for the cupcakes.


Lime Buttercream Frosting

4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. lime juice (I added more to get a stronger lime taste)
green food coloring (optional)

1. Add all ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low until combined.
2. Turn the speed to med-high until the icing is light and fluffy. Use water to thin the frosting if necessary (I used a few Tbsp.).
3. Add the icing to a pastry bag or use a spatula/knife to frost the cupcakes.

** To get the effect of salt with a margarita, I sprinkled some granulated sugar on top of each cupcake.

Tasty Side...or Meal!

Thought this would work nicely as a side with our leftover chicken and spinach lasagna, so I whipped up a loaf while waiting for Ryan to get home. I ate my share with my leftovers, however, Ryan decided to make his share a meal and finished off the loaf. Either way, we both agreed it was fabulous!!



Pepperoni and Cheese Bread
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

1 roll refrigerated French bread dough
Pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese (I substituted Italian blend for both cheeses)
Egg wash (1 egg white, water)
Italian seasoning (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Roll out bread dough and sprinkle with cheeses, place pepperoni (as much as desired) on top of the cheese.
3. Carefully roll the bread dough into a cylinder shape. Pinch ends and top to seal.
4. Brush top and sides of loaf with egg wash.
5. If desired, top loaf with cheese, pepperoni, and/or Italian seasoning.
6. Make a few diagonal slices in top of loaf for air to escape while cooking.
7. Bake at 350 for ~20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Another attempt at being healthy

With the husband trying to shed a few pounds and myself, well, I just enjoy good-tasting health food - I came across a WW core recipe for Chicken and Spinach Lasagna. Sounded harmless enough. I paired it up with some homemade garlic herb swirl bread for a very tasty dinner!

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

cooking spray
56 oz. (2 28 oz. cans) tomato sauce (I used 2 jars of spaghetti sauce)
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, divided
2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion
1 lb. uncooked ground chicken breast (used 3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed, instead)
30 oz. ricotta or cottage cheese
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
9 items dry whole-wheat lasagna noodles (didn't have on hand, so I used rigatoni)
20 oz. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat a large, deep lasagna pan with cooking spray.
3. Combine tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp. garlic powder. Measure 2 cups of tomato sauce mixture; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until almost tender (about 3-4 minutes). Add chicken; cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Add remaining sauce to skillet and stir until well combined; set aside.
6. Mix together ricotta/cottage cheese, egg whites, and remaining Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a large bowl until well combined.
7. To assemble lasagna, place 2 cups of reserved sauce on bottom of dish. Layer with 3 noodles, 1/3 of ricotta/cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of spinach, 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of chicken-sauce mixture; repeat layers ending with chicken-sauce mixture. (Make sure to spread ingredients to the edge of the noodles.)
8. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly, about 30 minutes more.
9. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes:
- If your pan is not very deep, only use two layers of noodles and reduce the filling ingredients by 1/3.
- I usually like onions cooked into various dishes, but did not care for it too much in the lasagna. I may omit this next time.



Garlic Herb Swirl Bread

Dough:
3 1/4 cups bread flour, divided
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast or quick-rise yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup very warm water (115-125 degrees F)
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened or melted

Swirl:
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (I used Italian blend, pre-shredded in the bag)

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, combine 2 cups bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add in water and butter/margarine and mix by hand or on low speed for 1 minute. Add in remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is moist, but not sticky.
2. Knead dough for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic (I love my KitchenAid!). Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it over to coat with oil. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (75-85F) until doubled in bulk, 40-45 minutes.
3. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
4. Punch down the dough and place onto lightly floured work surface.
5. Roll the dough into a large rectangular no more than 9" wide.
6. Combine swirl ingredients and spread evenly over top of dough, leaving 1/2" at end to help seal loaf. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top of butter mixture.
7. Tightly roll dough up into cylinder shape, pinching and tucking ends to form a tight seal and pinching seam to seal. Place seam side down into prepared pan.
8. Oil the surface of the loaf and cover loosely with a clean cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 20-45 minutes. (If desired, you can top the loaf with Parmesan cheese.)
9. Preheat the oven to 450. Bake the loaf for 10 minutes.
10. Reduce the heat to 350 and bake about 30 minutes longer. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
11. Remove the loaf from the pan to a rack and let cool completely before slicing.

Thanks to a friend

A while back, I purchased a bottle of balsamic vinegar, simply because I saw it used a lot on the Food Network. I had never cooked with it or have really eaten anything with it before. Basically, I wanted to try something new.

It wasn't much later that I saw a recipe posted by Julia on her blog titled, Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms. Perfect!! Uses balsamic vinegar and the husband and I love chicken and mushrooms. One final perk, it's a core recipe meaning...it's healthy!

We tried it and loved it!! It will be a regular in our rotation, that's for sure! Thanks, Julia!

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

2 tsp. canola oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove (we are garlic lovers, so I used 4 smaller cloves)

1 lb. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups small mushrooms, halved

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled

1. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a nonstick skillet.

2. In a medium bowl, mix 2 Tbsp. vinegar, the mustard, and the garlic.

3. Add the chicken - turn to coat.

4. Transfer the chicken and marinade to skillet. Saute until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Finish cooking in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

5. Heat remaining tsp. of oil in skillet. Saute the mushrooms for 1 minute or until slightly brown.

6. Add broth, thyme, and remaining Tbsp. of vinegar. Cook, stirring occassionally, until mushrooms are deep brown (about 2 minutes longer).